Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in December 2020.

"Finding My Voice" by Marie Myung-Ok Lee is the timeless coming of age story of Ellen Sung, a seventeen-year-old Korean American girl who attends an all-white high school in Arkin, Minnesota.
It was first published in print in 1992 and is now being reissued as an audiobook without any edits.
I must say I enjoyed this novel even more than I was expecting: it has a deliciously authentic feeling and it definitely stands the test of time.
The protagonist is extremely relatable, even though I don't belong to an ethnic minority myself, because this story speaks to the heart of anybody who's ever felt different for any reason at all, anybody who went through high school wishing they were more popular or struggled to meet parental expectations and to live up to an older sibling's unattainable achievements.
The plot is perfectly believable: it focuses on exams, sports, crushes... nothing so extraordinary that couldn't have happened to anybody else in the same situation.
The only thing I didn't appreciate was the presence of a few body-shaming remarks.
The narrator has a very pleasant voice, which suits the first-person narration protagonist perfectly.
Overall, I can definitely recommend this novel.

3.5 stars rounded up to four.
Kay, this book hit so many tropes that I was originally going to give it a 3-star review. BUT THEN I REMEMBERED- this book created the tropes. It was one of the first books starring a Korean-American teenager and for that reason, it hit so many tropes BECAUSE it created the tropes in the first place. I've been lucky to have so many narratives that show many different sides of being Korean-American, but this book opened up the way for those stories to be told.

Spoiler

contained mentions of teen sex, mild cursing, some kissing

This book was originally published in 1993. In the afterword the author explains that she chose not to modernize the novel, because she wanted to preserve the past. The feeling of not belonging and self doubt are common struggles felt by teenagers in any time or place. This book will resonate with anyone who ever felt like an outsider in high school.

Ellen Sung is surrounded by a student body who is racially and ethnically different from her. She tries to blend into the background and even goes by an American name, not her Korean name Myong-Ok. It is hard for her to love herself in a period of tremendous change (mentally, physically and emotionally), while also being surrounded by faces whose features do not match her own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Soho Teen for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"He's gorgeous." Beth sighs.
"Too flirtatious," I say as coolly as I can. "

This book is for you if... You're looking for an asian own voices novel.

Finding My Voice, a short read following Ellen Sung, a senior in high school, who is trying to balance school, sports, her parents high demands and her personal life, all while living in a small town with people who will say racial slurs to her in passing and directly to her face. All I can say is that I found this book really enjoyable to read, the pacing was quick but not too fast, the overall story was outstanding and to finally see why Ellen's parents were so strict at the end in the conversation with her father. I would definitely recommend.

As someone who never experienced the intense pressure to have perfect grades, it was definitely interesting to get a look into the pressure that some of my peers in high school went though while I was smooth sailing and not really worrying about what classes I was taking. Finding My Voice does a Wonderfull job at providing perspective, and opening my own eyes at least to a completely different lens that I have look though before.

I think that there's a lesson in this book that everyone can and should learn, and that's how to use your voice, to speak up when something upsets you, to learn that you don't have to sit back and be quiet when you have an opinion. I think everyone can relate to aspects of this book, Asian or not. I found myself relating to not knowing where you belong.

CAWPILE Rating: 7.57/10
Stars: 4/5 Stars
A quick read that is enjoyable and thought provoking.

This YA novel is considered to be the first #OwnVoices Asian American book; I can't believe it was published as late as 1992, but I'm glad it exists. The story is pleasant enough, and I appreciate how Ellen doesn't always win in finding her voice.

It’s not a great book, but it’s authentic and earnest. I’m glad I read it!

Three and a half

3,75/5
Really loved how the girl is growing up in this book and how she takes revenge of our own life

Ellen/Myong-Ok lives a double life: the dutiful obedient daughter of a Korean doctor and immigrant who expects her to go to Harvard as a science major like her bright older sister, and the gymnastics athlete and humanities lover who sneaks out to drink with her friends. When a blonde blue eyed football hero starts to fall for her, it becomes something else to hide, along with the racism she experiences from students and teachers alike.

Lee successfully juxtaposes American and Korean values, and presents a heroine who defines an identity she can remain true to.